48:34

Now, MY4 and N04H are coming back from the merchants' area as MY4 thinks that the mission has already finished and everyone got back. She is carrying a bag with her which is full of everything they bought in the meantime, which of course seems a bit heavy, but she manages to carry it on her own. Yet after a while of walking, from behind, N04H hears someone calling him out of nowhere.

[K4NE]-...N04H? N04H! Over here!

[N04H]-...K4NE?

He looks behind to see who it is, only to see some of his old roommates who were waving at him and calling his name so he can see them.

[MY4]-Friends of yours?

[N04H]-Yes! They were my roommates when we were at school!

[MY4]-I see... Go talk to them then. I can leave and we will meet at the base.

[N04H]-No, no! I will be quick! I promise! Just wait a bit!

[MY4]-Alright then. Take your time!

N04H rushes to the two boys standing to greet them, yet MY4 remains behind, looking at her list once again and calculating something. She waits five minutes, ten minutes, even more, but N04H enjoys his time with his old friends, and another one seems to join after a while too. After some time of waiting though, someone seems to be calling for her a bit far away from her location. It seems to be C0NNER this time.

[C0NNER]-Miss MY4!

[MY4]-...C0NNER? What are you doing here?

[C0NNER]-Master told me to search for you and N04H since none of you gave us a sign where you guys went, so... here I am.

[MY4]-Oh... Sorry for the trouble then.

[C0NNER]-It's nothing. Where is the other one?

[MY4]-N04H is over there, talking with his friends. I'm waiting for him to come so we can go back to the base together.

[C0NNER]-I see... What's in the bag?

[MY4]-Right! We went to buy some things that I needed since we will soon run out of them, including the Bethjavih Ore.

[C0NNER]-Huh... I wondered how much it could last... I don't think I lived the moment when the base didn't have it until now.

[MY4]-Well it has to end at some point, right? Every material can get consumed after all.

[C0NNER]-Right...

Then they both watch N04H and his friends enjoying their lives, but C0NNER seems a bit unhappy as usual, so MY4 changes the subject.

[MY4]-How was the mission?

[C0NNER]-It was fine, I guess... We managed to save all of them, which will be around 26 beings. There are only five people injured, but Mr. IS4MU is taking care of them at the shelter right now, so no need of you to worry about that. If anything, you might bump into him when you get there. He said it will take a while until he comes back at the base.

[MY4]-It seems like you guys did a really good job. No problems encountered?

[C0NNER]-Come on. At this point, rescue missions aren't something so complicated. The collaboration between Mr. M1SH4M and the Southeast Base got to be a habit of our building over the years.

[MY4]-...

MY4 looks at him as she feels he isn't feeling better. His past doesn't let him go, so it's hard for him to enjoy anything around him.

[MY4]-...You still miss them, don't you?

[C0NNER]-*sigh* A bit... It doesn't help that he reminds me of her either...

[MY4]-C0NNER... We all lose people we love at some point. It is the cycle of life. But we can't let this affect us for the rest of our lives. Look at your master... He keeps letting His memories affect Him at the point that He doesn't care about His own life. No matter what you say to Him, He doesn't listen, He only does whatever He thinks is right.

[C0NNER]-...

[MY4]-...People give their lives so that we can continue their journey for them, to achieve their dreams, not to suffer from the loss. And I'm sure that your people are proud of how far you've come, little one.

[C0NNER]-...I hope so. Thank you, Miss MY4.

MY4 gives him a gentle smile, as C0NNER looks at her. He feels a bit better than before, so he smiles at her, for the first time for us, as a sign of gratitude. Maybe it is because of how MY4 behaves or treats people around her, or maybe it is because she is just a person that he trust. Whatever that reason is for him to smile, it sure is a warming feeling for us all just staying around this gentle soul.

But as they chat more and more, a person from the above seems to have been watching them all this time, listening to their conversation. You know who He is, but the reason for Him to be there in the first place is unknown. He looks at both of them, a bit upset from what the girl said, then leaves without a trace.

The Southeast Military Base

49:14

Minutes later, they come back at the base together, N04H chatting with MY4 while C0NNER simply walks alongside them, not saying a word. LUK3 was in the hallway, so when he notices them, he goes towards them to see how they are doing.

[LUK3]-Oh, you found them after all, C0NNER!

[MY4]-Hey, LUK3!

[LUK3]-Hi, MY4!

[MY4]-How was the mission?

[LUK3]-It was cool. We saved them all! And, oh, at the end of the mission, when we took the rescued at the shelter, two little girls from the group came to us and thanked us all! Not to mention that when they found out who was the one behind the plan, they went to Him and surprised Him with a little hug. It was sooo cuteeee! C0NNER saw it! He can tell if it's the truth!

[MY4]-CHE5TER let them near Him?

[LUK3]-Well, technically He had no idea what was happening in the first place... He was talking with someone when they came, so He got confused and almost lost it. But in the end, He let them be for the time being. Ah, you should've been there, MY4!

[C0NNER]-...Speaking of the devil... where is Master anyway?

[LUK3]-Umm... I think He said that He wants to see something, but didn't specify where He went. But is it really a surprise at this point? For real now! Oh, and... what's in that bag anyway?

[MY4]-We went to buy some things while you were gone. Nothing special.

[LUK3]-Oh, did you buy something for me??

[MY4]-No?

[LUK3]-...What kind of best friend are you?

[MY4]-*giggles* We went to buy medicine stuff, LUK3! What could I have get for you?

[LUK3]-Well that ISN'T an excuse for you to come empty-handed! You could've bought me anything from the merchants when you were coming back to the base!

[MY4]-Alright, alright... Next time, I promise you that I will bring you something that you might like.

[LUK3]-That's more like it!

[N04H]-...Is he really like this all the time?

[LUK3]-N--

[MY4+C0NNER]- --Yes.

[LUK3]-HEY! WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON, MY4!? You know what!? Never mind! Fuck you both! N04H and I are going to train, so you bullies can talk shit about me when I'm not around! Come on, buddy! Let's leave!

[N04H]-Wait, at this hour!? H-Hey, hold on, LUK3! Wait a second!!

LUK3 takes N04H by a hand and leaves with him towards the training ground mad, yet MY4 and C0NNER remain together behind to chat again.

[C0NNER]-*sigh* I still don't understand how you manage to endure him so easily, Miss MY4... I swear, you are like a true god for me just because of this reason alone.

[MY4]-When you grow up with him, nothing surprises you anymore. He is the same person as when we were kids. But even so, he still got a good heart... even if he acts like this pretty often.

[C0NNER]-He can have whatever he wishes, he still manages to give me a headache whenever I see or hear him...

[MY4]-There is no friendship without a bit of fighting between each other after all, C0NNER. It is normal to not endure someone in some moments. But even so, reliance exists till the very end, doesn't it?

[C0NNER]-I guess so...

MY4 looks at LUK3 and N04H which are already far away from them, thinking about something, or someone, and getting a bit unhappy.

[MY4]-*sigh* I wonder where is He now...

[C0NNER]-We don't know where He goes in general anyway, but He always comes back. Why are you so worried?

[MY4]-...I admire how can you stay so calm, even though I know you are worried as well. I still remember the face you had when we all lived that moment a while ago. You see more than just a master in Him, don't you?

[C0NNER]-...

He doesn't seem as he wants to respond though, so she takes a deep breath and continues.

[MY4]-...I'm worried because He thinks He can do everything by Himself, even though He is a simple being, just like all of us. Before everything, I would have trusted His decisions, but now I can't take my mind off the idea that there is always a possibility of Him to never come back.

[C0NNER]-But He will come back... right?

[MY4]-For now...

Yet in the City of Above, CHE5TER stands alone in the night on a building, watching everything from above. Voices, screaming in His head, all from the people He had lost along His journey. Only one voice He doesn't recognise, one which speaks to Him every single day after that incident which He doesn't want to talk about. He wishes to end it all, but alone, He can't do anything. It's Him against the entire world, until Death will finally decide to take Him away as well.

"...But we need to be prepared for the worst."