(meanwhile, somewhere around HQ)
ENZI- (carrying Baizhi on his shoulders) Careful...
BAIZHI- Yeah... ouch-
ENZI- Does it still hurt?
BAIZHI- Yeah... I think.
ENZI- What do you mean by "I think"??
BAIZHI- As if it's not obvious by how deep my wound is-
ENZI- Right. Can I ask you something?
BAIZHI- Uh.
ENZI- When they were gonna nuke me with that corruption inside me, why did you risk your life to save me?
BAIZHI- Uh... hmm. Because you have a life to continue living :)
ENZI- Huh...
BAIZHI- There are people who want you to be alive, so they can enjoy and spend their life with you... And I didn't want you to die with the guilt of not being able to save your teammates...
ENZI- Baizhi... you didn't have to do this, man...
BAIZHI- Well... someone had to do it :)
ENZI- Uh... thank you, thanks a lot, man. I will never forgive your efforts.
[RESONANCE WITH ENZI = SUCCESS]
Uh... I think I made resonance with him... just like Ramos told.
BAIZHI- No problem :)
(both enter HQ)
ENZI- Uh.
BAIZHI- (gulp)
(Trakktor standing in front of them, fuming in anger)
Oh no...
I know what's gonna happen.
TRAKKTOR- Baizhi.
BAIZHI- Y-Yes...?
TRAKKTOR- Did I not make myself clear last time? Or you just really like to put yourself in the well of death?
BAIZHI- I'm... sorry...
TRAKKTOR- For how long are you gonna dodge like this? Do you know what the fuck you tried to do?
BAIZHI- B-But I did it...
TRAKKTOR- Doesn't matter. Is putting yourself at such risk even worth it? It's not like I care if you will die or something through some nonsense, or if someone will. Why can't you think of optimal solutions to a problem?
BAIZHI- Uh... Hmm...
(others arrive at HQ too)
POTATO- Uh.
BONES- There we go.
MINI- He's cooked (;-;)
MILLER- Rest in peace in advance by Miller.
RATZ- Welp.
TRAKKTOR- Not only did you make the same mistake again, but you also interrupted a plan initiated by a higher-up, which is against the SP protocols because you're now allowed to overrule an initiative by someone who's in a higher position than you.
BAIZHI- Right...
TRAKKTOR- And this is why, I'm gonna give a harsher punishment.
POTATO- Uh oh.
BONES- Hmm.
MINI- Oh no (;-;)
BAIZHI- I'll... accept-
(someone enters HQ)
BISCUIT- No. Don't punish him.
(everyone's shocked by his appearance in HQ)
BAIZHI- Bis...cuit...?
BONES- What is he doing here?
POTATO- And how did he get healed so quickly?
MILLER- Thanks to Miller's 12 years of experience in Primal Sketch :P
TRAKKTOR- Oh? May I ask why Mr Biscuit?
BISCUIT- Because... I told him to save Enzi from the storm before he would get nuked.
(everyone's shocked again)
ENZI- So it was you?
BISCUIT- Hmm...
ENZI- Why? Why did you-
BISCUIT- Do you think I'm stupid enough to lose a friend who's not only a great time killer but one of my best acquaintances who has carried me on several expeditions??
ENZI- Uh...
BISCUIT- I did that because you mean to me. You're my best friend, bro. You didn't deserve to be nuked like that. I wish I could have saved you... It's my fault for not being able to save you because I didn't make up in time-
ENZI- No.
BISCUIT- Uh.
ENZI- (looks down at the floor) If someone has to take the blame for all this, it should be me.
BONES- Huh?
POTATO- Enzi?
TRAKKTOR- (raises one of his eyebrows)
ENZI- I'm the reason behind that storm... I was the one who got corrupted... It all happened because I was mentally weak from my past trauma... It's all my fault for whatever happened today...
MINI- Enzi...
RATZ- Man.
ENZI- Because of me, an SP today, who's also a great colleague of mine since RIA times, would have lost his life saving me. If something happened to him, I don't know how I was gonna cope.
BAIZHI- Don't... think like that... it's not your fault that you were weak... that's how people get corrupted, man... You're no one to be blamed...
BISCUIT- Yeah.
RAMOS- (surprise entry) I believe no one's guilty here.
(everyone's surprised by his sudden entry)
MINI- Ramos!
BONES- Interesting.
TRAKKTOR- And why so?
RAMOS- Well. All 3 tried to save each other because they care about each other. Biscuit wanted to save Enzi because he's his best friend. Baizhi wanted to save Enzi, too, because he didn't want him to die with the guilt of being incompetent to save others. And Enzi was alright with him being nuked because he didn't want to cause any more problems.
RATZ- Hmm, right.
RAMOS- I truly believe none of them should be punished for their actions. Maybe it was a very risky approach, but if someone could be saved, then we must save them. That's one of the moral values of an SP.
TRAKKTOR- Hmm. Consider yourself lucky that Ramos came in time to save your ass. Especially you, Baizhi.
BAIZHI- Uh... yeah... thank you, Ramos...
RAMOS- Mention not. I still believe you have a lot to learn and improve. And I know you will work on yourself.
BAIZHI- Yeah... just after I heal-
MINI- Oh right- we didn't notice the huge hole in his chest-
BISCUIT- Shit- How the fuck did this happen?
ENZI- Well... it was indeed a risky approach, he just faced the consequences.
POTATO- Miller, can you heal him, too?
MILLER- Miller doesn't think he can heal such a severe and deep wound.
BONES- This shouldn't be the question either. The real question is, how's he still alive with that fatal wound?
(...)
RATZ- Yeah.
RAMOS- Well, let's say he had my blessing :)
TRAKKTOR- Crazy.
ENZI- Lol.
BONES- Doesn't sound very logical, but okay.
RAMOS- Enzi, come to the infirmary with Baizhi, it needs a ton of medical aid to cure him. I'll get you a drip of glucose too, since you look pretty drained.
ENZI- Right... Thank you.
RAMOS- Follow me.
(follows Ramos to the infirmary)
RATZ- What are you thinking, Bones?
BONES- That how he still survived that wound?
POTATO- Why are we overthinking this?
BONES- It doesn't sound logical. There's no way he survived that.
MILLER- Miller suggests not overthinking that. We should be glad that no one died in this mission.
MINI- Agreed.
BONES- Fair enough.
TRAKKTOR- Alright, back to work, guys. I'll go finish my shenanigans, too.
.
.
(at the infirmary, lying on a bed with tons of blood drips and a heavy bandage with a cell reactor over his chest)
Hmm... I guess I did great.
But I could have done better...
I can't keep Executives shouting at me for dumber approaches...
Hmm... but besides that...
["Don't come back regretting again, like last time."]
I still need to find answers behind these voices...
I know I don't remember my past anymore, but I can't keep it hidden from me for long...
I need to keep finding.
.
.
END OF VOL 2
VOL 3 FROM 17 MAY