Story/E2-4 Part 2/Script
[The battle nears its end.]
Seele: …Kiana-nee? Are you still going to fight?
Seele: And Mei-nee… I’m grateful that you came, but… you still don’t dare to strike the fatal blow to Seele, don’t you?
Mei: Seele...
Seele: Hehe… it’s because Himeko-san was like you that she still couldn’t stop Seele from taking Bronya away after using that Nexus.
Kiana: That’s because nobody wants to hurt you, Seele!
Seele: What you don’t want to hurt is just Seele’s body, right?
Mei: It’s not related to the other Seele… everyone just… wants to save you...
Seele: Save me? Seele’s about to be happy in this new world… and you? All you need to do is forget Seele and Bronya and go back before the tunnel vanishes!
Kiana: Seele, you’ve brought Breakdown Energy to this world, so it’s going to end up like our world sooner or later… it’ll break down too… so you won’t be happy.
Seele: At least Seele will have a power that this world doesn’t have! Nobody in this world can defeat Seele before Seele vanishes! And nothing else… will be able to harm Bronya-nee...
Mei: You’re wrong, Seele. We’ll defeat you right now...
Seele: You? What do you have now? Just a pack of obedient puppets! A bunch of puppets who only know how to follow orders, just like that useless Seele! It doesn’t matter how many of those you have!
Kiana: Seele… did you know? The key to our victory doesn’t lie in those Tactical Dolls.
Seele: Hehe, Seele knew, of course… Headmistress Theresa… you wanted to take Bronya-nee away during this time, am I right?
Theresa: Huh?
Seele: Seele noticed you from the start. The doll echelons were just bait to buy time so you could get into the park, am I right? While you tried to conceal your presence, it was just too strong, so Seele’s been paying attention to you all this time.
Theresa: My my, I was found out? Then it can’t be helped. My work here is done.
Kiana: Thank you, Headmistress. You came just in time.
Seele: What?
Theresa: Unfortunately, I just came to look around, and incidentally draw your attention.
Seele: …!
Theresa: Bronya was long since taken away by someone else… or to be precise, some other doll.
Vector: Sorry, Seele-san. My revolting self has appeared before you again. But don’t worry, I won’t be following you again… because it’s going to be farewell soon.:
FN-57: Seele-san, you can’t sense dolls, can you?
Himeko: Dolls don’t have Breakdown Energy in them, and they don’t even show any regular life signs. Vector-san was the star of this rescue from the beginning. She’s familiar with the area and skilled at operating independently.
Vector: You should be grateful for the quick repair. Also, here’s a surprise for you, Seele-san.
Seele: That’s impossible. Seele can sense Bronya-nee’s still here. You’re lying to Seele! You never took Bronya-nee away!
Himeko: It’s true that Broyna hasn’t gone far. She’s right beside you.
???: Seele.
[Seele hears a voice and turns around.]
Seele: Bronya… nee… even Bronya-nee’s going to fight Seele too?
Bronya: Bronya doesn’t want to hurt Seele.
Seele: Then join Seele and help finish off all the obstacles here… everything will end right away!
Bronya: Bronya had a weird dream. Bronya saw herself, taller, with red eyes, and… a popular personality.
Vector: Sorry, I had to use a bit of psychology when waking her up-
Seele: The nerve of you! How dare you treat Bronya-nee that way! You’re still… you’re still speaking of that little clown and Bronya-nee in the same breath!
Vector: Oh yes. Nauseating that I was, I still managed to do something you couldn’t.
Seele: What did you say?
Vector: That was… to make Bronya-san like Seele all over again.
Bronya: Bronya knew that wasn’t the real Bronya. Bronya… could only live as Bronya. And Seele… was Seele really living as Seele?
Seele: What are you saying… Bronya-nee… Seele... is Seele, of course...
Bronya: No. Bronya is asking Seele.
Seele: Huh?
Bronya: The real Seele.
[Badump! Seele’s hand twitches.]
Seele(?): That’s enough…
Seele: No… not now...
Seele(?): As I thought, I shouldn’t have left it to you...
Bronya: Seele, it’s time to wake up.
Seele: No… no! Bronya-nee, please… Seele… Seele doesn’t want to disappear again!
Seele(?): Seele will not disappear… Seele will just… become part of Seele again...
Seele: Now… come back, Seele. Come back here, to Seele...
[Seele suddenly loses her balance and Bronya hurries over to help her up.] [And then, Seele opens her eyes.]
Seele: Bronya-nee? Seele… is back.
Bronya: … Welcome back, Seele.
[…………]
Kiana: Whew… that should be the end of everything, right? What do you think, FN57-san?
FN-57: It’s been neatly tied up. I can bring this before FAL-san now.
Mei: Kiana, don’t get careless. We haven’t cleared up the Breakdown Energy yet.
Kiana: That’s the Headmistress’ job isn’t it?
Theresa: Hah? No way, I’m busy with a lot of things. DId you know? This world doesn’t even know what Stigmata are! Himeko can handle the Breakdown Energy cleanup!
(TL Note: Homu/Stigmata are apparently a type of equipment in Houkai.)
Himeko: Hah… I just knew it… still, not today. I want to go back, take a bath and relax at Griffin’s bar.
Kiana: Me too! I’ve been a commander all this time, now I want to mingle with my doll subordinates!
FN-57: Resting for a while is fine, but don’t take it too far. Make sure you fix the command post before our Commander gets here. Speaking of which, Kiana-san, how’s PP90’s condition?
Kiana: She should be able to enter the quick repair phase soon. Vector, you’ll be able to see her soon.
Vector: Why do I have to be tied to her...
Kiana: Hehe, PP90 told us that. She also told us about how you awakened Bronya and the real Seele.
Vector: PP90 taught me about it at the last minute. When it comes to digiminds, we’ve learned through long experience.
Kiana: So you’ve got a friend who speaks the same language as you now?
Vector: We’re just wardmates.
Kiana: In any case! Vector, you’re not allowed to not turn up for tonight’s gathering!
Vector: *shrugs* You’re the client, so go ahead.
[That night, the members of Destiny and the Griffin dolls had a cheerful gathering.]
[Three days later, at the Griffin base.]
???: Vector! Vector! Wake up!
Vector: Ugh...
[……]
Kiana: Breakfast’s ready! Hurry up and get up! Honestly, it’s just like PP90 said, you’re the biggest slugabed in Griffin!
Vector: That just means PP90 knows too few dolls...
[Vector crawls out of bed and takes a long yawn.]
Vector: Also, I should be the one going “Honestly”, right? I’m waking up earlier than usual...
Kiana: Hey! I woke you up in person, don’t you think you ought to be saying something?
Vector: Thanks. So, what’s next?
Kiana: The Commander’s coming back today, so shouldn’t you be a bit more enthusiastic?
Vector: Whatever, someone like me is… eh… hang on… Kiana-san?
Kiana: What!?
Vector: Didn’t you… already leave?
Kiana: What do you mean, leave? I’ve been right here all this time!
Vector: …Oh yeah...
Vector: This is… the doll Theresa-san left behind. Himeko-san even said that we could collect more data to perfect the rest of the dolls.
FN-57: Good morning, Vivi! Kiana-san said she wouldn’t do it, but in the end she went to wake you up.
Vector: How come even you’re calling me that now...
FN-57: Hehe, everyone’s been calling you that since that day. So, how did you like this morning’s service?
Vector: It was wonderful. It feels like Kiana shook apart the circuits in my head. Couldn’t you have gotten Mei-san to wake me up instead?
FN-57: How about having Seele-san do it next? We even managed to work out the data for that dangerous personality of hers.
Vector: Fantastic, I haven’t had nightmares in a long time. Speaking of which, did they figure out what the weapon they tracked here was?
FN-57: According to Theresa, it was something like a Jupiter Cannon. But the Jupiter Cannon of this world couldn’t have done it, so it might have been us from an alternate dimension.
Vector: Then it’s none of our business. But is the Commander coming back today?
FN-57: He’ll be back by noon. According to Theresa-san, Breakdown Energy might spread due to human observation, so he had to evacuate for a while...
Vector: If it was physical monsters...
FN-57: Hey, aren’t you called “vector”?
Vector: Then are you good at math?
FN-57: Ugh… you… I thought you’d be more straightforward in speaking after hanging around with the others for a few days.
Vector: The others have their pleasures and I have my own.
PP90: Vivi! You’re up!
Vector: *sighs* Good, now there’s no “my own” any more
FN57: Enjoy the rest of your scant vacation, Vivi~
Bronya: Good morning, Vivi-san.
PP90: Vivi! Come help me take a picture! Hurry! I want a pretty memento for the Commander!
Vector: You two... are you that close now? Right, I’m taking it. Here? Now?
Bronya: Now.
PP90: Now!
[……]
Vector: Don’t move around. Look at me.
PP90: Make me look prettier!
Vector: Alright, then you’ll have to suffer a little, Bronya.
Bronya: Bronya wants to be pretty too.
Vector: No problem. Sorry about that, PP90.
PP90: Vivi! Can’t you make us both look good?
Vector: I’m sorry, but the world is beautiful because it’s imperfect.
PP90: Hmph! Do as you like, then! Bronya, can you say “cheese”?
Bronya: Is it a photo for lunch?
PP90: Uu… ah, forget it, You say it, Vivi!
Vector: I’ll say it again, don’t move. Your curls are going to get tangled up if you two sundae heads keep wobbling your heads around. 3, 2, 1, Chee-se!
[Ka-chak!]
[…………]
PP90: Not bad right, given Vivi’s skills.
Vector: Oh yes, I apologize for not managing to capture a hundredth of your deviousness.
Bronya: Bronya is happy with this.
PP90: Honestly, you didn’t even smile, Bronya! And Vivi even said “cheese”... huh… wait, does it mean that you were smiling, Vivi?
Vector: You can say “cheese” without smiling provided you make ample use of your jaw.
Bronya: Vivi definitely smiled just now.
PP90: Hehe, what were we saying just now~♪
Vector: What? I was glad to return to the past. Isn’t that worth being happy about?
PP90: We can’t ever go back to the past, Vivi.
Vector: …?
PP90: All we can do is just… make the past more valuable. All the good things, the bad things… in the end, it’s all these things put together that make up a “world” that belongs to us.
Vector: …Perhaps.
[What made me hate this world was the fact that today was once again the worst day in my life. But I was not too sad, because tomorrow could always be worse… Still, that also meant that yesterday, or the day before… or sometime in the past, there had been a pretty decent day, right? If I could recall a few of the things that were worth cherishing, and live my life positively for their sake… that ought not to be too bad, right?]
PP90: Vivi, you did smile! You smiled just now, didn’t you!
Girl’s Frontline: Only Master END
——See you in the next world.