Lanz and Garvel (Side Story)

(Note to Translator: should be incorporated after Y had first showed his face, in Mio's side story, as a comeback perhaps.)

Note from Translator: Going back a few hours, or a few days. While they were on the sea, in the castle, Monica never stop shooting them tasks. Or maybe, they just got themselves involved; and here's one of them. To get smoother storytelling, feel free to skip this part to the next.

At a camp, Lanz started the conversation: "Before, or now... I can't tell which one was tougher..."

Noah: "What is this about?"

"Ah, nothing really, I was just thinking about the training regime those Lost Numbers go through. I hear it's a real gauntlet."

Eunie complemented, "That's how you toughen up, ain't it? Not that I'd wanna sign up, myself."

Mio shared, "Right? Ours wasn't pleasant at all."

"But when it boils down to it, I think it's the trainees who are better off, yeah?"

Taion questioned, "Compared to what we're doing now?"

"Exactly, yeah. Life was a lot easier back when we were new recruits, right?"

"Ah, hm... That does make a kind of sense."

Noah: "All we do these days is fighting, and then more fighting..."

"Yeah, you get me?" Lanz felt the synchronization of thoughts!

Sena wondered, "What sort of training d'you think they actually go through?"

Lanz invited her, "You curious too, Sena? You wanna come with? We can check it out together!"

"Yeah, now you're talking! It's always fun to shop around for some new exercises."

Eunie can see the two getting excited, "You lot are really getting into this idea..."

Noah wouldn't deny they fulfill their obsessions/desire, "The training ground should be near the dormitory. I think we spent the night there once."

"Yeah! Let's drop by when we're in the area!"

A Ferronis with a row of eyes flaming red; a Flame Clock on its mouth area burning green flames, slightly more than half filled, with two blue rings attached to its 'ears', placed in a room of almost complete darkness, too dark to see any unilluminating features.

A male Moebius walked into the scene, narrated, "So you wish to utilize this thing, of which I meant to dispose... Such daring lunacy... That is what I would dub it."

Another female¹ Moebius sounded, "It would be a dreadful waste to throw it away... There's always a use. Always... People, lives, the lot. Y...?"

"I stand corrected. Then, what manner of use is it that you have envisioned?"

"The Lost Numbers..."

"The City ruffians? You do know, no life can be harvested therefrom?"

"Yes, I am aware. That's why I'll have my toy soldiers play a little game. The lives of the fallen will be amassed, in this... special Flame Clock, as a reward for the final lass or lad left standing."

"Oho..." That piqued his interest a little, just a little...

"The cream of the crop of youths, competing for glory... Ohhhhh... Is that not simply... sublime?" Then, the Flame Clock glowed bright green and lit the floor in front of it. In front of the Flame Clock stood a winged child, his bodily features looked like... Garvel?

In the City. The group watched as the soldiers trained, with swords and shields, with guns, and their instructors stood by the side watching over them. With a thin smile on his face, it triggered his memory.

Start of Lanz's Memories

"Ehhhh...." Young Lanz was defending against some blow with a frequency shield raised by his broadsword. One-on-one fight, it was Garvel bashing on him. Outside stood the other soldiers, including Noah and the others, watching the fight inside the 'den'.

Panting heavily and rested for a moment, Garvel took another go, dashed towards the tired Lanz. Lanz calculated the moment correctly, slashed his sword out of his hands and brought him on to the ground, sword on his neck. Garvel had lost.

Sheathing his broadsword, he raised his hands up in a clenched fist, signaling his victory.

Thereafter, he had a blue sword-crossed medal attached to his chest with Noah, Joran, and Eunie watching; his nose pitched high, signifying excess pride, and enjoying Joran's flattering words. His smiles pitched larger and larger.

End of Lanz's Memories

No longer did he felt pride; it was long gone. They served the war all right, but not peace. Looking to his right, he saw two Lost Numbers getting lectured by the instructor. Effetely, he started narrating with a down tone,

"Six ain't many..."

Sena didn't get it, "Six of, what now?"

"The Ouroboros candidates. All that training, and six get in."

Eunie recalled: "Oh yeah, Monica did say something like that to us."

"I feel... kinda let down."

"How so?"

"Just knowing there's a pecking order here too. Makes 'em the same... Same as us."

Taion: "People aren't equally suited to everything. Such is life!"

"Sure. I guess, but..."

Eunie, perhaps feeling the conversation to low, cut him off and expressed his thoughts, turning to Taion, "I'm feeling hungry. You guys wanna go grab a bite?"

"I'm in favor."

Sena suggested, "How about the shopping area? I found the tastiest-looking Torpedo stand. How's that sound?"

"Torpedo wraps, eh? Spark yes! Lanz?" He was still looking attentively at the training squad, lost in his own thoughts.

As he slowly regained attention to the group, he turned slowly to Eunie, "Yeah, sure thing." And she nodded back to him. The group left while he retained for a moment, took a final look at the training squad, unsure what he was thinking about, before joining the group thereafter.

Halfway towards their destination, there's someone juggling balls like jokers, up into the air and catch them skillfully. People and Nopon were watching his show by the empty space. Lanz and the others stopped by to look at such event that caught their eyes. They were happy, the juggler was happy.

Suddenly, there's someone shouting, "Hey, you, what're you doing back here?!" A 'cop' was running towards the boy while warning, "How many times have I told you?! No performing out here!" The rest of the audience quickly dissipated as he arrived; the boy tucked the balls into his pocket. Only the Ouroboros were still watching the scene unfolding and the 'cop' lecturing the kid before going off his way. The kid had a box in front of him, probably to collect money. He just shook his head in disappointment, in a sigh, at what life went at him, the obstacles set before him.

"Hmm..." Lanz being curious, took steps to approach the adolescent-looking guy, immediately lectured, "You shouldn't be wasting your time like this. Don't you have... training?"

The guy turned and saw the buff muscular guy looming on him, rebutted without a tone of anger, nor any of impatience, patiently and calmly spoken, "I'm not wasting my time. This is my job, here." And he took out one of the ball and showed it to Lanz.

"You call that a job?"

"Hey, you're Ouroboros, right? I've heard. I suppose my job doesn't really compare to yours, I'll admit."

Lanz changed the topic on to the cop, "Why're they on your case?"

"Street performance. It's not allowed on this road."

"Street performance...?"

He started juggling, ignoring the cop's lecturing, to show Lanz, "This stuff... Around this spot, this is where you get the best crowds. Hmph... but still, they like to push me round. 'We're at war here. Why aren't you fighting?' they say."

"Do you not need to be fighting?"

"The City's army is just for volunteers."

"Hoh..." A sigh that signifies he was in deep thoughts.

"There's plenty who're willing."

"Why's that?"

"'Cause it gets you others' approval."

"Hm... Yeah, well, it would, wouldn't it?"

"You think so?"

"You don't?"

"Well, who decides what has merit? And whoever's making the rules, how do we know they're right?"

"Hmmm..." That was food for thought.

"Hehehe, I mean, I don't really know anything. It's just..."

"Uh-huh?" He then look down at the box, which had some shillings placed in it. It has some soft cushion, colored peach, that surrounded it. The metal case was silver-plated.

"I think, isn't it fine if there's like one guy who makes the call for himself, you know?"

"Even if it ends up being pointless?"

"Hey, even pointless things can have a point... down the line."

Deep thought's sigh, "Hmph..."

"I wanna live my way. Take it one step at a time, the way I want. Reaaaaally live." Lanz's eyes brightened up at such words. That was something that hits home in his heart.

Alas, he'd no time for such deep thoughts. The alarm suddenly blared. Three beep and one long pause, repeating. Raising his head to see what the non-distress alarm is for, the boy was brought back into his thoughts. "Oh, rats! Better scarper before the guards find me again." And he walked off into the distance.

"Hey!" Lanz called him.

The guy gave Lanz a final words, "...Tell you what. I've got a new trick... Just in the works. You should come and watch. Bye!"

"Hohhh...."

All the while the other Ouroboros let him speak with the boy alone. Only after he left did Sena cheerily approached from behind, asking, "You OK there? Can I help out?"

"Nah... I'm allllll good." Skillful at having his feelings for himself, eh!

"Hmmm....?" She wasn't that convinced, but since he doesn't want to speak willingly, it's not like she could force anything out of him. And they looked up at the sky for a moment until Noah sounded from the distance,

"Lanz! This alarm's worrying. Head for the war room." Not sounding distress, but it didn't died down either.

"Right. On it." Nodding to Sena whom took a look at him for reassurance, they joined the others.

In the war room, Noah met Monica and another male Lost Numbers. They were briefed. "A cradle transport for the colonies?"

The guy named Travis, standing next to Monica, replied, "Yes. The report is calling it 'large-scale'."

Eunie: "And you want to 'liberate' it? Like you did that last batch?"

Taion: "Right, well. That explains the emergency assembly."

Lanz was straight to the point, "When? Where?"

Travis: "By our estimate, tomorrow, late night. Pedesto Valley Floor, at the Great Sword's base. Boss, the logistics guy wanted an overnight camping kinda deal."

Monica: "Approved. Sort out the planning."

"Just what I thought you'd say, so I took initiative. We can leave any time."

Mio asked the others, specially Noah, "What do you think? Should we lend them a hand with it?"

"Yeah, gladly. If Monica's OK with it?"

Monica: "It's up to you. But if things don't go to plan, there might be a fight."

Noah nodded in acknowledgement, "We're prepared for that."

"Hmph... Then be my guest. Take this chance to show my soldiers that Ouroboros spark. It'll be an illuminating experience for them, fighting or not."

"All right. We'll drill them well."

Arriving at Morrack Inlet, the group trailed behind the Lost Numbers on a sparkling sandy beach. They left their ships and levnises behind. Out of a sudden, Lanz started talking, perhaps venting, "Things used to be easier, ah?"

Taion: "What was?"

"All we had to do was bash heads. No thinking, no nothing."

"What about the dying part? You weren't scared?"

"Sure I was scared! But, at least I knew what was expected of me."

Sena sensed something else, "Wait a sec... You wanna go back to that?"

"Obviously not! Just sayin' how I feel. There's just too much snuff to consider nowadays! It's doing my nut in!"

Eunie casually suggested: "I think you should try it sometime. This thinking thing might not be so bad."

Lanz went rage for a sec, "Stop making it sound like I don't!"

"You just said it yourself! 'No thinking, no nothing.'"

He tried rebutting, "I was talking about before, you spoon."

Now Eunie wasn't happy with the insult, stopped in her track and wrapped her arms around her breast, getting heated, "Sorry? Who're you calling a spoon?"

The others had to stop with the leading two blocking the track, "OH SHUT UP. If you're gonna act like a spoon, 'course I'm gonna call you one."

"Uhh, it takes one to know one."

"Whaaa--??!!!"

Sena tried to calm the two down, "Let's just chill our here, you guys..."

Eunie spit it out, "OK, then why don't you tell me where we are now? What's this region? C'mon, spill." Now Lanz's gonna do some thinking.

"Uh, it's, uh..."

"See, you can't tell your arse from your elbow. Doesn't that make you the spoon?"

"Just because I slept through that class... If I've been awake for it... Then..."

"Then stay awake, you spoon!"

While they continued quarrelling in the background, Mio had a chance to speak to Noah, "He's right. Things were easier..."

"Yeah! We had everything handed to us, back then."

"That's not quite true in your case though, is it?"

"Huh?" Noah was surprised at how she saw him.

"You had thoughts. And deep ones at that. I can tell, when we're playing together..."

"But you have, as well..."

She doesn't rebut, "I hope... we find an answer."

Noah attentively looked at her, sensing her thoughts and desire, softly but unwaveringly asserted, "Absolutely... We'll find it, I'm sure!"

Arriving at a resting spot shadowed by some taller cliffs. Grass lacking magnesium carpeted the area, with a few trees stood beside the trail. The group sparsely occupied the region for a rest and updates. Noah and Taion accompanied Monica, whom was speaking to a Lost Number. Mio, Eunie, Manana, and Riku were chatting in another sub-group. Sena was speaking to Lanz.

"Hey, guys!" As Sena was telling Lanz something, some excited guys came up to the group, flattering in his tone.

"Hmm....?" Well, that was cold.

"It's an honor! I mean, this chance to do an op with you guys..."

"Whaddya mean?" Excitement is suppose to spread excitement, but sorrow spread sorrow too!

"You're my heroes -- Ouroboros. I mean, I always knew a grunt like me could never measure up... Although, we all still dreamed of it. And now you're here in the flesh. Doesn't seem real."

"What's so great about us?"

"Huh?"

"Before this op's done, we might have to kill old friends. How 'bout it? Could you do it? Stab a friend?"

Sena was shocked by what he'd said, trying to stop him from terrorizing the poor guy, "Lanz...!"

"I, I mean, that's..."

With a cruel tone, "If you're here with some half-arsed notions, go home."

It makes him felt sorry for himself, "I-I'm sorry, I just got excited..."

Another Lost Numbers approached the group. Unlike the one apologizing, this one had jealousy and hatred for the Ouroboros, talked bad in front of them "They talk big, but... when shit hits the fan, they might just double-cross us. You watch."

Lanz squinted his eyes, ready for a quarrel, "Urgh... You sayin' you can't trust us with the job?"

"Hundred percent. You've never trained with our unit before, never ever fought by our side. Way I see it, you're just some arsewipes who stole away what was rightfully ours."

"Huh!" Sena felt a heavy stone pressed against her heart.

Lanz didn't budge, "Oh yeah? If I let you down, shoot me. In the front or back, I don't care."

"Gee thanks. Well that's awful big of you, pal." And he just turned and walked away.

"Hmph..."

All the while, Noah and Monica watched the clash unfold from a distance away. Noah turned to her, "I'm sorry. Maybe we shouldn't have come..."

"No, this is good. It's how you build trust. You can only begin once you've gotten everything out in the open."

"Really...?"²

"One of my dad's favorite lines. Wasn't it the same for you lot?"

Noah recalled from before how Lanz shielded Sena's blow when they first met in the battlefield, how exchanging clash preceded the conjoin of the 2 groups. From distrust, to neutral, and painstakingly, to trust. "Yeah! You might be right on the mark!"

"I'm sure they'll settle down when they need to. They've got good role models today."

The green Flame Clock Ferronis now parked outside, set camps in the dark. The rare streetlight provided a sense of boundary, but such dim lighting does not help the eye. From a platform atop, they tried to scanned for info³ They stayed in the dark; only Sena's flaming hair flared in the night.

Monica concluded: "Our intel was right. There's quite a few of them."

Mio challenged: "But, it's too quiet... There's barely any signs of life."

Eunie from behind, "They're probably all conked out."

Taion: "The fewer sentries, the better for us."

Noah: "Monica. The cradles are in that transport?"

"Yes, it's likely. Let's head down. If we go round from the right, we can approach unseen."

"Roger that."

The group stepped into the transport. Yes, there are orange-fluid cradles lined against the wall of the transporting levnises, but Taion seem confused, "What is this?"

Noah: "They're all empty?!" Nothing inside the cradles except orange liquid. He quickly dashed to check out the rest. Nothing, nothing, and still nothing. "Urgh!" He turned around and shouted, "MONICA! There's nothing in here! They're all empty!"

"SON OF A-! REPORT!!!" She shouted to the other Lost Numbers.

Someone replied, "Same over here! We got cradles, but nothing in them!"

"Urgh!" This is not feeling well... A trap...

Noah: "Monica?"

"Did we...? Did we just fall for a trap?" That's the only possibility left, perhaps. A blinding light suddenly lit the ground from behind her; the group covered their face with their limbs as they tried to get used to the new brightness.

"Urgh!"

As they could start looking, Sena exclaimed, "They've got us surrounded!" Levnises and soldiers in a semicircle.

Taion: "Kevesi troops...?"

Therefore, he appeared with the bright light behind him, appeared like a saint-like hero appearing in movie theater, and commented while walking towards the group, "Well, doesn't it suck to be you... Every little step you made turned out exactly as planned. Now us, we're an elite unit, the all-stars of Keves. You lot have been doing as you pleased for long enough." As he spoke, other Kevesi soldiers emerged and closed in on the group. He continued, "Right here, right now, we're gonna correct that little mistake!"

Lanz first noticed his childhood nemesis, "GARVEL?!!!"

"Ohhh? So you've actually heard of me? Guess I gotta give myself more credit than I thought!" He'd probably been reborn, so he didn't know who's Lanz. The others, his original group members, nevertheless joined him even after rebirth, stood by his side.

Eunie knew them, "Layla, and Hoope?!"

Noah: "Sparks... They look like they're in their early terms. That means..."

"They got reborn?!"

Lanz: "That adds up. This lot... Soon after they moved to Colony 8, I hear they croaked."

Garvel don't like the look, sniped, "Don't dare look down on us second-termers. We were chosen! We are the elite! Now I don't know if you're Lost Numbers or what, but you're in our way and for that, your heads are gonna roll!" Behind them stood a Levnis; and they drew their blades as Garvel spoke.

Lanz knocked Hoope⁴ unconscious.

Garvel: "Tch... Just finish 'em off already! I need that sweet, sweet life!"

Noah was shocked by how he could do this to his group members, shouted, "Hrrr... 'FINISH 'EM OFF?!'"

He urged, "Hurry, run 'em through -- go on! Kill 'em dead! That'll give me a good top-up, nice and easy! Gotta love this ne Flame Clock the Consul was kind enough to give us! IT'S A BELTER!" The group just noticed the green Flame Clock behind him.

"Ohhh!"

Mio commented, "It's a different color..."

Taion: "Yeah... That is no ordinary Flame Clock."

Garvel continued explaining, forte with his tone, "Back in my old colony, if some moron slowed you down, there was nothing you could do. Oh, you could kill 'em, sure -- but you wouldn't get any life from it. But around here, that's all changed! Here, life is the privilege of the strong! The final survivor gets to take the whole snuffin' cake!"

Lanz: "Garvel...!"

"You get it now, do you? The weaklings need to be taken outta the running, so gimme somma that sweet life!" Since they weren't doing it, he tried to do it himself, killing his own teammate. Noah immediately stopped him with the Lucky Seven, knocking off his blade and threw him off balance.

"Aiii!! You mudder...!"

Taion decided to show him what it means by elite, transforming to Ouroboros form as he spoke, "You can call yourself elite all you want. But do moderate your expectations."

The worst terror in life is unknown. Stock market, the future, whatever. This 'monster' is not introduced to him, nor had he seen one. He fearfully backed up, gasping.

"You're the same as ever, Garv. Only ever thinking of yourself..." Lanz called for his attention as he transformed too. "How're you gonna win against us like that?" Noah had already transformed without a speech.

"Huh Hurggghhh..." Now one unknown is fear, 3 unknown is terror. "Wh- The snuff is this?! No one told us about these monsters!"

"You are not to hesitate!" That female Moebius that spoke to Y earlier showed herself, her tone rude. As she finished, ballistic missile, like that Ethel launched at them from before, targeted the Ouroboros and Lost Numbers' inch by inch.

"Mehhhhh!!!" Riku and Manana shielded their eyes; the Lost Numbers (including Monica) got defensive. Some soldiers fall as they got shot.

"Hrngh!" Lanz was the first to act. He jumped and raised a shield in front of a soldier -- it's the Lost Numbers that mocked him from before.

The guy earlier that spoke bad to him: "What... are y-?!" Lanz saved his skin.

As the missiles died down, the Consul teleported in front of Garvel. "Lady Consul!"

Taion: "I should've known..."

Eunie: "Guess you can't have a Ferronis without a Consul, eh?"

"My, Ouroboros as well? I can't believe my luck. I supposed I ought to have prepared better still."

Lanz: "A woman...?"

She effetely spoke, "You like my children? They're an anti-City special unit, one that I have diligently raised and lavished with love myself. It has been, back-breaking, to educate them so. They'll have to earn much, much more life for me before they're done. I hate failed investments. So you see..." And she transformed into her Moebius form. Core in her belly button, with a ring encircling her breast, a diamond-shaped object directly in front of her breast attached to the ring; and the other features too random and complicated to describe in words. And her speech also changed -- she spoke twice as fast as in her Consul form! "I'll take you brats out myself to protect mine!" (The battle begun, and we know this woman is Moebius H).

"What is this?!!! Nobody told me the Ouroboros whelps were so... horribly strong!" Her core had been damaged; black smoke escaped from it. "WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?!!!"

Taion, whom cancelled their Interlink, felt emotionlessly sorry for her, "Dear, oh dear. It seems your grasp has exceeded your reach."

Lanz: "NOAH! CUT THE FLAME CLOCK! WE GOTTA RELEASE GARV AND THE OTHERS!"

"Urggaaaaahhhhh!!! Yahhh" Still had his Interlink, he jumped at it, cancelled the Interlink, and smashed it into pieces.

The Moebius, before turning into blue moats, had her last words, "THIS SIMPLY ISN'T FAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIRRRRRRR!!!"

Layla and Hoope was already conscious, with Layla exclaiming, "Wh-what just happened? Th-the Consul, she...!"

Hoope: "She just disappeared..."

Garvel was the most reactive, wasn't willing to accept the truth, called out with fear in his tone, "Lady Consul... Lady Consul...! What... What am I supposed to...?! AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!" He launched himself towards the unequipped Lanz, used his tiny fist to punch him. Alas, his random punches had no fight for the buff Lanz, whom easily caught his fist and disengaged him (after a few dodges). As he tried to punch with another hand, Lanz threw him off and soiled his face. Climbing back up, he gave an angry look at Lanz.

"Drop it, Garv! Your Clock's gone. Just stand down!"

He immediately activated his iris to search for it. No sign, no sign, and still no sign of it. "Urgghhhh...."

"Peace... You don't have to fight any more."

"Huh?"

"No more stealing of lives. No more charity from Consuls."

"Wh-what're you on about? Get snuffed. You're talking out of your arse. 'Don't have to fight'? Fighting is all that we know! If we don't have that, then what the snuff are we s'posed to do...? TELL ME! WHAT DO WE DO NOW?!!!"

Back where the ships and levnises were, the Lost Numbers gathered around sparsely in many groups. Cargoes were being loaded onto the levnises. The Ouroboros gathered around except Lanz, whom was approaching the guy that earlier had expressed his dissent.

"Hey... Need some help?"

The guy turned to him, surprised, "Huh? Ah, yeah, nah. Been through worse." Then turning in a slight smile, he didn't held back his praise, "Man, you guys. Stunning. You're so... far beyond us."

Lanz humbly replied, "Ah, it's not a big deal. If you were one of us, you'd do just as well." And they started chatting about other stuffs, having to trust one another more after a teamwork.

As they were leaving, Lanz turned for a final look at the Lost Numbers, "Think they'll be OK? Those guys."

Sena noticed he was leaving behind, approached him and asked, "What's eating you, Lanz?" The rest of the group hadn't stopped, moving towards one of the depot ships.

"Well... I just, worry we cut 'em loose a bit soon..." He recalled the fearful eyes, desperate voice of Garvel,

"Tell me! What are we gonna do now?!"

Turning his back to him, Lanz softly commented, "How would I know?"

"Huh?" You stole something from one but didn't replace it with something else?

Turning back to him, "You stop stealing lives. You guard 'em. It's simple. But the 'how' is up to you. Got it?"

Garvel looked down, feeling more empty after the conversation, "The spark...? You can't do this to us...!"

Pausing a moment, he decided to give him at least one direction, "Colony 4... Know it?"

"Yeah, I've heard about it..."

"On your map, middle of the Fornis region. The lieutenant there, Bolearis, you can tell him we sent you. Try him. Helps to have a mentor, starting out." And he just turned and walked away, leaving him with only the slightest clue.

"You gave 'em the info. Now they got a choice." Monica joined in the recalling session, continued, "Some might take it hard, though."

"Besides, when we cut through the Flame Clock, it was to protect the City detachment too. There was little else we could do." Taion was scrupulous enough to notice the two not following; and Eunie joined him as he spoke.

Eunie: "If we'd meddled even more, it might've come right back round to bite us in the bum."

At the other side, Noah and Mio were also turning back, with Mio speaking, "We did the right thing by telling them about Colony 4. I think that was the best course of action."

"Urgh..." Lanz wasn't fully convinced, felt like he should've do something more, something he has control to do.

Monica: "Everything they believed came crashing down, just like that. They'll be confused for a while, sure. But they'll figure it out, just the same as you lot did."

Taion recalled in hindsight, "We might've gotten off lightly. If we hadn't met like we did in that valley, we'd be just as confused as those guys. Luck was on our side."

There was a short pause as the group recalled, reminisced, and considered the philosophy. Taion had something more to add, pushed his glasses up and changed the topic a little, teasingly spoke, "Speaking of, back then... Wasn't it Lanz who was the most reluctant of us?"

"Hpfh..."

Eunie joined in the teasing session, "Nah, nah, nah... Our big man was just a bit shy to introduce himself in front of new people! Right?"

"Ahh, shaddap." And he turned away from them.

Sena felt the same, happily joined, "Ohh, yeah he was! I did kinda get the impression that he was embarrassed to speak up!"

"Right? Eh? Ahh, he's just a big teddy bear really!"

Boarding the ship, it zoomed into the air, returning.⁵

Back in the City, Eunie and Taion were getting food from the torpedo wrap shop. Lanz was standing some distance away as Sena trod towards him, handed him a torpedo wrap, "Here, Lanz. Same dish as mine. Double Ardun meat, DE-luxe!"

"Ahhhhh, thanks a bunch."

Eunie, speaking to the owner, "Ohh, lessee... No tallspice here. But double veggies!"

Taion sat himself down, looking at the menu blackboard, excitingly exclaimed, "Ardun sausage, huh? That sounds good... But then... there's the tallspice sauce as well... Hm? Fluffcream and Skeeter syrup dressing?! What delights!" Now that's difficulty choosing when every choice is too good and you just want all but can't! "Ohh... There's even choclit sauce?! How can I... possibly choose?!" Eunie just shook her head.

He did managed to choose in the end, we don't know what. They ate alongside Lanz and Sena, standing on the road. The City's dark as usual.

Looking at his torpedo wrap, Lanz reminisced, "Still hard to believe, huh? Eating what we want." Now that's something to appreciate.

Sena didn't get the context, "Huh?"

"But is it enough? I want more..."

Eunie couldn't believed what she heard, "Dude, that's already pretty hefty. You really gonna eat another?"

Just then, they heard the sounds of cheering some distance in front. Looking up, they saw a group gathered around the boy whom juggled. Happily as ever!

Sena recognized, "Oh, hey!"

Eunie: "Whoooaaaa... He's pretty dece!⁶"

Lanz: "Or have I got it backwards...?"

"Huh?" The two didn't get it.

Taking another munch out of his torpedo wrap, and looking at the boy doing the skilled job, he hypothesized, "Maybe... it has to start with me." And he started walking towards the entertaining crowd himself.

Footnotes:

1: Sounding old, this voice, actually.

2: Behind, Taion was speaking to the Lost Number Monica spoke from before.

3: Perhaps, w/o a binocular, wasn't very helpful.

4: We assume the boy's name is Hoope? Or is he Layla?

5: Ironically, their ship 'Boundary' was left behind. Oops...

6: Probably a shortcut slang for 'decent'.